


until daybreak

by mikharlow



Category: HELIOS Rising Heroes (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Nightmares, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:41:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27510187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikharlow/pseuds/mikharlow
Summary: Dino helps Keith through a nightmare.
Relationships: Dino Albani/Keith Max
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	until daybreak

**Author's Note:**

> Keith having nightmares just makes sense, no wonder he drinks himself unconscious all the time
> 
> enjoy this keithino :')

It’s the middle of the night, and Dino wakes from his sleep. He wakes slowly, his eyes taking their time to open and adjust to the pitch darkness of the room; he rubs at them to clear his vision. Then he notices sound -- unsteady breathing, sharp inhales and shaky exhales, an occasional muttered word between the breaths. It’s a voice he recognises. Keith’s.

Stifling worry, he rolls over in his bed, and as he’d thought, the man on the other side of the room is sitting up in his bed. The blankets pool around his waist, and even in the dark and from this distance Dino can see the quickened rise and fall of his chest. Keith’s fist is gripping tight to the sheets, and he’s staring at the far wall. He hasn’t noticed Dino yet. Dino tries to call out to him, but it comes out as more soft, a little croaky, with sleep. “Keith?”

Keith jolts, head snapping in Dino’s direction, and for a moment Dino can see wild panic in his eyes, a fear that he’s rarely ever seen, and his heart tightens in his chest. He watches Keith swallow, and the fear fades. He softens, his tense shoulders relaxing, and he breathes out a sigh. “Dino,” he says, and it comes out as a whisper.

He’s across the room in no time, kneeling on the bed between Keith’s legs and pulling him close. His head rests against Dino’s shoulder, burying his face into the crook of his neck, and Dino feels his breath against him as it begins to slow. He wraps his arms around Keith’s shoulders, weaving a hand into his hair, working though the matts and caressing him, trying his best to soothe him. Keith’s skin is clammy, sticky with cold sweat, but it doesn’t matter to Dino. He’ll fetch him a towel once he’s calm.

This isn’t the first night he’s helped Keith deal with his nightmares, after all.

It’s been months since Dino had returned to Helios, and moved into the West dorms with Keith. A few days later, Dino had woken up in the night to Keith tossing and turning, and had shaken him awake and helped him through it. It’s been countless times in just this short while, but Dino doesn’t mind; what really makes the bile rise up is thinking about all those years Keith dealt with it on his own. Just how many nights had he woken up like this, without anyone there? With only the dark silence of his room, and the ghost of Dino he left behind?

It makes Dino hold him that much tighter.

“It’s alright.” he says, comforting him. “I’m here. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Keith’s arms tighten around Dino’s waist as he speaks. He goes to say more, but Keith mumbles into his neck, and Dino’s heart cracks.

“I’m sorry.”

Forcing himself not to well up, his hands go to Keith’s shoulders. “Hey,” he whispers, and Keith pulls back, but never lets go of him. With both hands, Dino cups his cheeks, and he doesn’t look away from his eyes. Tired eyes. “Keith. None of it was your fault. I told you, you don’t have to blame yourself like that.”

Keith tries to object. “But if I’d just searched a little harder--”

“Keith.” 

He falls silent.

Dino sighs. He presses a kiss to Keith’s forehead, and lets the man pull him close once more. “You know you couldn’t have stopped it.”

“I could’ve done more.” Keith mutters.

“You brought me back.” Dino kisses his cheek. “You made me remember, and you made me stay. That’s more than enough.”

Keith squeezes. “Dino...”

“I know.” he hums. “...I love you too.”

They know that the night won’t last forever, and when the morning comes, Keith will see Dino is still there next to him, and they’ll both smile. Like that, the minutes pass, fading into a warm silence where holding the one he loves close is all Dino needs. 


End file.
